If you want more room and a slower pace while staying close to Orlando, look at Eustis, Geneva, Sanford, Wedgefield and Mims. We have built homes in all five. Our homes in Eustis and Wedgefield sit on lots of about one acre, our Geneva home is on about half an acre, and our Sanford home is on a little over a third of an acre. Below is what each town offers, the homes we have built there, and what to check before you buy land.
What to look for in a small town before you build
A small town can give you a bigger lot, more privacy and less traffic on your street. Before you choose one, check these things about the land itself:
- Lot size and setbacks. Setbacks are the distances a house must stay from the property lines. They decide how much of the lot you can build on.
- Water and sewer. Some lots connect to city or county water and sewer. Others need a well and a septic system.
- Flood zone. You can look up any address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center.
- Who issues the permit. If the lot is inside city limits, the city handles building permits. If it is in an unincorporated area, the county does.
- Your daily drive. Time the trip to work, school and the grocery store at the hours you would make it.
We check the lot details for free when you send us an address. There is more on that near the end of this post.
Eustis: a lakeside city with one-acre lots nearby
Eustis is a city in Lake County on the eastern shore of Lake Eustis, one of the Harris Chain of Lakes. About 23,000 people lived there in 2020, and the city’s motto is “America’s Hometown.” Eustis, Tavares and Mount Dora form the area locals call the Golden Triangle. Eustis City Hall and the Alice McClelland Memorial Bandshell are both on the National Register of Historic Places.
We built two homes in Royal Trails, a neighborhood with Eustis addresses. Each one sits on a one-acre lot. You can see photos and details of both on our new construction homes in Eustis page. Here are the two homes:
- 30369 Apricot Ave: our Royal plan, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2,234 sq ft. It sold in October 2025 for $505,000, above its list price.
- 30340 W Bluebell Ave: our Canary plan, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2,300 sq ft, with a 34 by 10 foot lanai. It sold in June 2025 for $515,000, above its list price.
Both listings noted deeded access to Lake Norris. The Bluebell listing also noted that two horses per acre are allowed on that lot. If you are looking at land in the area, ask about deed access and animal rules for that specific lot, since they can differ from one lot to the next.
Geneva: a rural community between two lakes
Geneva is an unincorporated community in Seminole County. It sits on State Road 46 between Lake Harney and Lake Jesup, and the Little-Big Econ State Forest is in the Geneva area. About 2,900 people lived there in 2020, and the U.S. Census counted every one of them as a rural resident. Because Geneva is unincorporated, Seminole County handles building permits there.
We built our Royal plan at 304 N Jungle Rd in Geneva. It has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and 2,234 sq ft on 0.53 acres, a little over half an acre. It sold in July 2026 for $570,000.
Sanford: a historic lakefront city with room to build
Sanford is the largest town on this list, with about 61,000 people in 2020. It is the county seat of Seminole County and sits on the southern shore of Lake Monroe, on the St. Johns River. Downtown has shops, restaurants, a marina and the Sanford Riverwalk along the lake. Sanford also has a SunRail commuter rail station and Orlando Sanford International Airport.
Our Sanford homes are on Miller Road in Eureka Hammock. The home at 354 Miller Rd has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 1,771 sq ft on 0.39 acres. It sold in June 2026 for $414,000. On the same road, a home on our Royal plan at 335 Miller Rd is in pre-construction. You can see it on our Available Homes page, and read more about building in this area on our Sanford page.
Wedgefield: one-acre lots in east Orange County
Wedgefield is an unincorporated community in Orange County, between State Road 520 and State Road 528, the Beachline Expressway. Most of the land in Wedgefield is divided into lots of one acre or larger. About 8,000 people lived there in 2020.
We built the home at 18743 Overton St in Wedgefield. It has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths and an office, with 2,297 sq ft on 1.03 acres, and it sold in early 2026 for $640,000. A new 4-bedroom, 3-bath home on Robertson St in Wedgefield is coming soon. You can ask for early details on our Available Homes page. Our Orlando area page covers building in Orange County.
Mims: a Brevard County community on I-95
Mims is an unincorporated community in Brevard County, next to the city of Titusville. State Road 46 ends at Interstate 95 in Mims, at exit 223. About 7,300 people lived there in 2020.
We have built a home in Mims. It belongs to a private owner, so we do not share its address or photos.
State Road 46 connects three of the towns on this list. It runs through Geneva and ends at I-95 in Mims, and Sanford’s SunRail station is off State Road 46 as well.
How we help you build in a small town
Every lot is different, so we start with a free lot evaluation. We look at minimum living area, setbacks, impervious coverage (how much of the lot can be covered by roof and pavement), easements, flood zone, and whether the lot is on utilities or needs a well and septic. If your lot needs a well and septic, we install them.
Next, we help you pick one of our fifteen single-story floor plans that fits the lot, and we price the house and the site work for your lot. Permitting typically takes about three months and the build about six months, so plan on roughly nine months from contract to keys.
We build in ten counties across Central and Southwest Florida. You can see them all on our Areas We Build page.
Have a lot in a small town, or looking at one?
Send us the address. We will tell you what it takes to build there and which of our plans fit. The evaluation is free and there is no obligation.
Common questions about building in a small Central Florida town
Which small towns in Central Florida has Eastern Homes built in?
We have built in Eustis, Geneva, Sanford, Wedgefield and Mims. We have also built in Cocoa, Fort Pierce and North Port.
How big are the lots you have built on in these towns?
Our two Eustis homes are on one-acre lots, and 18743 Overton St in Wedgefield is on 1.03 acres. Our Geneva home is on 0.53 acres, and 354 Miller Rd in Sanford is on 0.39 acres. Lot sizes vary within every town, so check the size of any lot you are considering.
Do rural lots need a well and septic system?
Some do and some do not. It depends on whether city or county water and sewer reach the lot. We check this in our free lot evaluation, and if your lot needs a well and septic, we install them.
Can I build on land I already own?
Yes. Send us the address and we will evaluate the lot for free. Then we price the house and the site work for that lot. Our Build On Your Lot page walks through each step.
How long does it take to build a home?
Permitting typically takes about three months and building takes about six months. Plan on roughly nine months from contract to keys.